Social media users have been up in arms over recently published pictures showing Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his wife Ivanka Trump, sitting in on official meetings between the US President-elect and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe spoke with praise following his meeting with Donald Trump on Thursday (17 November). It was the President-elect's first official meeting with a world-leader since his US election victory.

Observers on Twitter have questioned whether Kushner and Ivanka Trump should be have been present in the meetings given the president-elect has said his daughter will be taking over the bulk of his business interests as he takes office.

"Ivanka, manager of the Trump family business with assets in many states, is minder at her dad's meeting with PM of Japan," one user wrote. "Ivanka wants to build a hotel in Japan. So she's in the room with the PM? Conflict of interest 101," said another.

One Twitter user asked, given the pair have no official clearance, whether they could attend the meetings. "Isn't it improper for Jared and Ivanka to sit in on meeting with Japan's heads of state with no clearance and blind trust interests?" he queried.

The pictures of the couple accompanying Donald Trump as he meets world leaders has raised already burning questions over how much influence Trump's family will have on his presidency and how the billionaire will untangle his business interests from the Oval Office.

As Trump spoke to President Barack Obama at the White House two days after his election, Kushner was pictured on the South Lawn deep in conversation with Obama's chief of staff, Denis McDonough.

According to CNN, Kushner is currently at the centre of "infighting" inside the Trump transition team, where he has alienated allies by leading a "purge" against associates of former team chief, New Jersey governor Chris Christie.